We are just days away from the elections. Early voting began more than a month ago. I am not going to tell you who to vote for – that is not my place. I am however going to tell you to vote and after overhearing students on campus discussing writing in votes for Darth Vader I am going to tell you to vote for a real person. Vote like your life depends on it, because in all honesty it just might. Some candidates are pro-life which could mean someone facing an ectopic pregnancy could die. Some candidates are anti-second amendment which means they want to take guns away from law abiding citizens, but that means criminals will still have their weapons of choice.
Regardless of where you fall on each issue you need to educate yourself on the stance of each candidate, make an informed decision and vote. For many of you, this will be the first time you are eligible to vote and you might feel like your vote doesn’t matter, but it does. Every single vote matters. This election could be contested, much more so than the Bush v. Gore election in the early 2000’s and every vote will matter.
That is just the presidential election. Iowa is having elections for senators, state representatives, county sheriffs and many other local offices as well. Each of these offices matter. They allocate money for park projects and other local projects to help your communities be the best that they can be. Each vote that you cast helps make Iowa better for us, for our families and for our children.
Whether you back Biden or support Trump or are mad that Bernie was kept out of the election, let your voice be heard. Vote for everyone who can’t vote because they are not eligible, for all of the women whom fought for our right to vote 100 years ago. Remember when you vote that a protest vote is essentially wasting your time and it doesn’t accomplish anything to vote for Darth Vader or a dead animal. If you plan to vote for Darth Vader stay home, don’t clog up the lines or better yet pick an actual candidate to vote for.
The bottom line is we have had months in quarantine with nothing to do but watch television and hear about each candidate so you should know their stance on each issue. Now it is up to you to vote for the candidate who best represents your concerns.
Jessica is in the Digital Arts program and previously graduated with an AA in Liberal Arts and a Bakery Certificate. She enjoys cooking, hiking with her dog, Daisy, taking pictures and spending time with her family.
Categories: Editorials, Opinion